Can you guys chime in with some advice about USPS international shipping?

[HoosierDaddy]

I shipped a package to Ireland. I sent it on Feb 24. Here it is April 1st and the guy still hasn't received it. The lady behind the counter, at the post office said they no longer offer airmail and said I have to send it first class. She told me it would be a week or so for shipping. Well, over a month later the guy still doesn't have it? What the hell? The kicker is, USPS will not allow insurance for first class international packages. Is that a way to cover their asses when they lose a package?

Anybody else have any experience with this type of shipping? Is it normal to take this long? I'm afraid I'm going to end up refunding over $200 to this guy and I'm out my money and my items. Pissed off doesn't begin to describe what I'm feeling right now.

I'm officially DONE sending international.:mad:

[Hornz Over Halos]

I'm with you (that's a first :p).

I hate sending international.

I just sent Treble X (in Canada) a package 2 weeks ago and he still hasn't gotten it yet.

[HoosierDaddy]

I'm with you (that's a first :p).

I hate sending international.

I just sent Treble X (in Canada) a package 2 weeks ago and he still hasn't gotten it yet.Yeah, it is getting horrible. At least we agree on something. lol

[bearoh]

You should've used priority mail so you can track it.,
well... I never had any problems even with First class mail.

[freezowave1978]

If an item gets snagged in customs it can get help up for a while, but this seems like a pretty long time. I used to ship a ton internationally (almost exclusively 1st class) and I'd 9/10 arrived in a week or two, but a few times I had issues that held things up for as long as 6 weeks.

What sucks is you get nailed on any claim made since USPS has no international tracking. On the flipside of that shipping anything international that can be tracked usually costs an arm and a leg.

Good luck this crap can be frustrating.

[HoosierDaddy]

Yeah, it is frustrating. And their international priority is ridiculously priced. Now, they probably don't have to answer to anyone if they screwed up and lost it. Man, this pisses me off.

[freezowave1978]

I learned that on higher priced items to always force the international buyer to pay for the shipping that protects me the most. If the international buyer wants it bad enough they'll pay to have it shipped properly. On cheaper stuff though I am willing to economize if it makes me a few more bucks. I do find international buyers much more willing to pay more for loose toys, which you can buy here for a big discount, just to save on shipping.

USPS does indeed suck for worldwide shipping, especially on larger items (you get hammered).

[slayer69]

Use the costums form number and it will tell you where it is. It just like a tracking number.

[aus collector]

I have never had anything take longer than 1 week,always use 1st class. If you have the receipt for the postage you dont owe him anything.Last time i was in the uk i sent a postcard home stayed for another week and still beat it home by about 6 days, awful postal service.

[HoosierDaddy]

Use the costums form number and it will tell you where it is. It just like a tracking number.When i use the tracking on the reciept, it just says, "Your item was accepted at 10:10am on Feb 25. There is no further information at this time."

I have never had anything take longer than 1 week,always use 1st class. If you have the receipt for the postage you dont owe him anything.Last time i was in the uk i sent a postcard home stayed for another week and still beat it home by about 6 days, awful postal service.I hear you, bro.

[slayer69]

Then the item is not in customs yet.

[quiggle]

I once sent international and they charged the guy with taxes because I wrote down what the contents were, like $100 USD and he got upset and demanded that I reimburse him for that.

[TheCollectorStop]

It is most likely stuck in customs. I know it has been five weeks, but four weeks stuck in customs is nothing if the package got red flagged.

[oldboy26]

if you still have all the reciepts from shipping, claim those when he goes to get a refund, and you shouldn't have to refund. You shipped, it's not your fault once it leaves your hands.

[EDBSIP]

I hate dealing with international shipping as well

[HoosierDaddy]

if you still have all the reciepts from shipping, claim those when he goes to get a refund, and you shouldn't have to refund. You shipped, it's not your fault once it leaves your hands.
I hope that works if he doesn't end up getting them.
I hate dealing with international shipping as wellYeah, I'm officially done with international shipping after this.


Another thing that sucks is my dad told me he just recently saw a news report about the USPS having auctions for items that were "lost" in the mail. He said the reporters were showing that many of these "lost" items had return addresses on them and they were STILL auctioning this stuff off! That makes me sick.

[PBDE]

Use the costums form number and it will tell you where it is. It just like a tracking number.

The number on the customs form is not a tracking number. It only indicates when the item was sent. It does not get updated beyond that.

[MikeMack335]

The number on the customs form is not a tracking number. It only indicates when the item was sent. It does not get updated beyond that.

that is correct for the little customs form (under 4 pounds) anything over 4 pounds when you use the big customs form, the # IS the tracking number.

[shawnspookcity]

Working my way through school, I run the shipping for a mail order company that does about 35% of its business in international orders. So I ship a few hundred things a week.

#1) It is very common that Europeans dont know their addresses. I have no idea why, but we get a ton of packages back that were sent overseas because it was an undeliverable address.

#2) If there is taxes due on the box, it might just be sitting in the foreign customs office. Sometimes those dopes will sit on boxes for months.

#3) Call the postmasters office. Give them the customs form number. It isn't like a tracking number, but they do scan it when it arrives in the destination country. Talk to a real person on the phone and ask if that customs form has arrived in at the destination country. If it has, then it's up to the buyer to go to his post office and straighten it out.

[slayer69]

The customs number does get updated. Use this number and it will tell you everything you need to know CP68 8276 790U S

[316what]

Use the costums form number and it will tell you where it is. It just like a tracking number.

But for a Paypal claim, they don't care about the customs form...all they care about is delivery confirmation.

if you still have all the reciepts from shipping, claim those when he goes to get a refund, and you shouldn't have to refund. You shipped, it's not your fault once it leaves your hands.

It may not be his fault, but it is his responsibility to show the package was delivered...especially if Paypal was used.



As for me, I have shipped 200+ international packages and have only had a problem with 1 package that was lost in Brazil. I think the main reason I've been "lucky" is that I always insist on shipping by Express Mail International....it comes with tracking/delivery confirmation/insurance. Sure it costs more, but like someone else said, if the buyer really wants it, he/she will pay the extra for shipping.

Also, DO NOT FORGET THIS: if using Paypal, for packages over $250, you as the seller are only protected if you have Signature Confirmation!!!! Just having Delivery Confirmation won't cut it with Paypal on packages of this value or more.

[slayer69]

Payapl does take the customs form number has tracking. I had to do it a few times.

[aus collector]

PS Ship to Australia....We have a great mail system.